From September 5-14, fans of John Waters can enjoy a retrospective of his film career, courtesy of the Film Society of Lincoln Center. "50 Years of John Waters: How Much Can you Take?" will showcase 12 of the "Pope of Trash"'s most influential films, starting with early classics like Female Trouble (1974), all the way up to his most wide-reaching pieces like Hairspray (1988). Known for his transgressive, campy, high-brow approach to the lowest low-brow content, Waters has served as an inspiration and role model to generations of artists across the United States and beyond. He also happens to be quite vocal about his appreciation for books and libraries: "nothing is more impotent than an unread library," he once said. If you can't get enough of Waters and his suave, pencil thin mustache, check out some his books from our collection:

Role Models 

One of Waters' most memorable and infectious books, Role Models is a memoir pieced together by profiles of some of the cultural figures who influenced and inspired him. From medieval martyr Saint Catherine of Siena to pop musician Johnny Mathis, Waters' anecdotes provide an intimate view into the mind of one of America's most creative, extreme, and kooky minds.

Carsick

In his most recent book, Waters sticks out his thumb (and his neck) and goes hitchiking across the lower 48. He recounts his travels from Baltimore to San Fransisco, but not before a lengthy speculation about all the weirdness he hopes (and fears) he will encounter. The result is a book filled with off color, insightful, and hilarious celebrations of Americans from sea to shining sea.

Change of Life

Published on the occasion of Waters' first major exhibition at the New Museum of Contemporary Art in 2004, Change of Life is a survey of the filmmaker's still photographic work, along with stills from some of his earliest, and most seldom seen low- and no- budget films: Hag in a Black Leather Jacket, Roman Candles, and Eat Your Makeup. The book also includes images of objects from Waters' personal collection that reflect his ongoing fascination with photographic imagery, mass media, and some of the more outrageous expressions of American popular culture.

Art, a Sex Book

In collaboration with acclaimed art critic and curator Bruce Hainley, Waters offers a unique, provacative, and personal interpretation of sex and sexuality through the lens of contemporary art. Over seventy well-known artists and their work have been carefully selected and featured in this book, such as Andy Warhol, Larry Clark, Richard Kern, Sarah Lucas, Cy Twombly, and Paul McCartney. The collection discusses with intelligence and humor the various ways that art reflects attitudes about sex and the body in today's world.

Pink Flamingos, and Other Filth

Read three of Waters' filthiest—and yet, in their own way, sweetest—screenplays: Pink Flamingos, Desperate Living, and Flamingos Forever. Interspersed with the original scripts are dozens of classic stills from the films.

John Waters is a frequent guest of LIVE from the NYPL, and you can see video from his latest visit below.